Advice about drug use for applicants

[Valor55]

Anybody using this board more than 2 days has seen at least one thread about "Can I get hired if I did X drug when I was a teenager?"

While our media culture tends to encourage the "life without consequences" attitude and subsequent behavior (i.e. drug use and reckless sex) it does not actually reflect real life.

Just because you were a "dumb kid" or a "rebellious teenager" when you tried drugs does not mean there will be no consequences. Police officers in our country are held to a much higher standard than regular citizens. If you want to be a cop you need to demonstrate for more than a short period of time that you can meet that standard of conduct.

The news is filled with stories of cops getting in trouble for DUI, or some other misconduct. When was the last time some Joe Schmoe accountant made national news because he got arrested for hitting someone in a bar fight? We are our own worst enemies sometimes because we are human and fail to live to a higher standard of conduct than everyone else. In order to minimize these boneheads the effort is to identify them during the hiring process and weed them out before they ever get a badge. Even though you may not think you are a bonehead now your past actions and behaviors are going to be what you are judged by.

Furthermore because of the stress that tends to be placed on us alcohol dependence and abuse (as well as drugs sometimes) can become a serious liability. We deal with stuff as a matter of routine that would curl most people's finger nails. Some of us fall to relying on booze and drugs to cope with that and it can get very bad. That's when you start having issues with living to that standard of conduct we are expected to. If you already have a history of drug or alcohol abuse you are more likely to turn to that as a cop.

The nature of many drugs and how they affect the body make drug use outside of marijuana too risky for hiring you as a cop. Just about any drug besides MJ is going to disqualify you even if it was only a 1 time use. Many mind altering substances can also be found naturally and legally however ingestion of them is no different than ingestion of something synthetic and it will still disqualify you. That may suck for you but that is just the way it is.

Furthermore getting a job as a cop is extremely competitive. Thousands of people will apply for each available position. Even if you only did drugs a little bit as a teenager you will be competing against people who have never done it at all. This is now just a simple question of mathematics. There are more candidates than available positions. Departments can afford to be picky and select people who have never abused drugs or displayed monumental bad judgement (i.e. being arrested for stupid stuff or getting a pile of traffic tickets.)

You may be the most mature person in the world with a killer resume but so is the guy sitting next to you waiting your turns for the oral boards. Except you smoked dope a few times as a kid and he hasn't. Everything else being equal who is going to get the job?

This isn't an indictment of who you are now. This is just a simple example of the fact there are consequences in life even when you are just a dumb kid. It's unfortunate that you fell in with the wrong crowd as a kid and did some things you now regret. Unfortunately this now means you are not likely at all to get hired as a cop. Despite our jokes in the forums about getting a job at a fast food restaurant there are a vast majority of employers who won't care what you did as a teenager. It is admirable that you want to be a cop now but you are going to have to find career opportunities outside law enforcement.

The only thing that can mitigate Marijuana use (only) as a kid is time. And lots of it. I know when you are 20, 3 years seems like a lifetime. However it is not enough time to demonstrate clearly you are drug free. 5 or 8 or 10 years since your last use of Marijuana MAY POSSIBLY improve your chances for getting hired. Get a stable job history, good credit, and a 4 year degree or military experience and STAY OUT OF ALL TROUBLE and you MIGHT get hired.

Some more advice about getting hired now. My department's academy is 1/3 to 1/2 full of combat veterans. A few credits at community college and Assistant Night Manager of the 24 hour Drive Through at McDonalds is not going to get you hired. Anyone serious about being a police officer these days besides staying out of trouble and away from drugs is going to need a 4 year degree or military experience.

While this thread deals with drug use specifically it still applies with any criminal activity you've been involved in.

[CTUCop]

I work at a state university and it's actually sad how many times we arrest someone for drugs and they look at us and say, "But, I'm a Justice and Law major, now I won't be able to get a job as a [*insert here*]- or - I'm a Elementary/Secondary Ed major; now you have ruined my life."

We just tell them to change majors. :D

[AndyV]

I am far a long in my process with the police agency I applied for last year. The reason for this I believe, is the decision to "be more catholic than the pope" in my answers to recruitment officers.

The more integrity you show, the more you are open about past problems, and the more you accept responsibility for what you have done, it shows that you are a person worthy of getting a look at. Policing is not planting trees for a living, you are accountable for every millisecond you are wearing that badge, and even MORE accountable when your not wearing it, who you are and how you represent yourself.

I've read a few troubling posts on here about people asking if its ok to "doop" the people in your interview to make your past look more "sellable" if you happen to lie about using marijuana or past problems that are not appealing.

Listen, there are people who have gone there whole lives without trying drugs, drinking, and as such, those are the same people who are being hired by the truckload.

When I was a kid I smoked marijuana a handful of times, then I made my own decision not to continue using that substance and hanging out with the "wrong crowd". I turned out to be a pretty good person in my opinion, however I've always listened to my parents who were my role models, who always stressed to tell truth even if it means your going to die, tell the truth.

I was no pothead, but did I experiment, sure, I can openly admit I smoked dope probably 8 times in my entire life. I can also admit that nobody put a gun to my head to make that poor decision to experiment with that substance. I didn't have a rough day, I didn't break up with my girlfriend, I didn't try it to be cool, I made a decision to smoke marijuana. Wrong is wrong. The why's and how's, as much as we like to all back on those, just aren't relevant.

So, pretty negative? look at this guy smoked pot when he was younger... but there are some positives

1) I've never bought it
2) I've never transported it
3) I've never used any harder drugs

When I move into the polygraph part of my hiring process I can't wait to sit in that chair and show them just why I should be hired. I'm not going to concentrate on deceiving them so I have a better chance to be hired, I am going to concentrate on being honest and showing integrity. If that means I am not right for policing, then so be it.

In my example its not very extreme compared some people’s past, because it was so long ago it's more or less going to be a non issue. There are many recruits who have used marijuana habitually, used harder drugs, I can't speak if these people ever get hired, but if not, that is a consequence of YOUR decision.

If your passionately sorry about your actions, there are still many possibilities of careers in LE that you can help with, I know in Canada there are civilian members who do amazing work in assisting the police and the community set up projects such as getting kids off the street etc. If your response to that is "ick, if I can't be a cop, screw it I’ll do something else". Then you couldn't possibly make a good officer as you can't give anything of yourself or feel as passionate about it as you originally thought.

Sorry again to kind of rant, I'm just shocked at people who think that police agencies expect "perfect", do you think every police officer on the street has perfect pasts?

C’MON , you know better.. but what they had to capacity to do, was never go over that line, and didn't hide and make excuses for their past. They embraced it and showed what they have learned from it.

Moral of this rant, Don't lie and just give it all you have. Show why you want the Privilege of being a police officer.

Being a peace officer is not something you deserve, it's a privilege.

Good luck in achieving your dreams!

Andy
(fellow recruit)

*If your looking for a cool new way to spell "recruit", check out the way I spelled it in the thread topic *

[lax854]

Very nicely put! I share in you feelings about becoming a police officer. I remember a quote someone had used regarding fellow recruits for a agency, the guy said "we are not looking for angels, who are looking for those who are able to tell the truth and have integrity." No one is perfect, we have all done something in our lives that maybe we are not too proud of. Maybe we tried marijuana once, or maybe we talked back to our mom when we thought she was wrong.Honesty goes along way and will reward you in the long run.